FILM STUDIES 100: Introduction to Film Studies | Fall 2017 Lecture: Newton 203, T/Th 2:30-3:20 p.m. Lab (Film Screening): Newton 203 Tues. 3:30-5:20 Recitation 1 (discussion): Newton 206, Thurs. 3:30-4:20 p.m. Recitation 2 (discussion): Newton 206, Thurs. 4:30-5:20 p.m.

Instructor: Professor Okada Office: Welles 224C Office Hours: Tues/Thurs 1-2PM and by appointment Office Phone: (585) 245-5241 Email: [email protected]

Course Description: Introduction to Film Studies is an overview of the art of film as exemplified by a diverse selection of films, filmmakers, film movements, and theories throughout film’s 100-plus year history. Primarily, this course approaches film through its form. That is, we recognize a film’s form, or how it is structured through visual and narrative patterns, is most crucial in interpreting and understanding its meanings. In covering the diverse components that enable cinematic form, including narrative, editing, cinematography, mise-en- scène and sound, we will explore how to “read” films and also, about their cultural and historical contexts. On Tuesdays I will introduce a new topic and show a feature length film. On Thursday, we will split into two discussion groups where we will discuss the film and the readings.

*DISCLAIMER: Some of the films in this course may include adult material such as sexual content, language, and violence. The film viewings are NOT optional for this course and there will be no alternative substitutions. Therefore, you must view and respond to everything that is shown in class. If you have any religious or personal objections to this type of material, please think twice before taking this course.

Course objectives: Students will demonstrate:

v basic understanding of the cinematic art form and the unique industrial, technological, and historical circumstances that have shaped it. v the ability to think, speak and write critically about the moving image, using medium specific terminology. v the ability to clearly analyze the functions of form, narrative, and style in cinema.

Accommodations: SUNY-Geneseo will make reasonable accommodations for persons of documented physical, emotional or learning disabilities. Students should notify the Director of the Office of Disability Services, Dr. Tabitha Buggie-Hunt in 22 Erwin (585-245-5112, [email protected]) of any needed accommodations as early as possible in the semester. You will need to provide documentation to ODS and obtain a letter for any accommodations you may need to take this class. Information on services and campus polices can be found at: http://www.geneseo.edu/dean_office/disability_services

1 REQUIRED TEXTS: All are available at the campus bookstore, Sundance; if you choose not to buy your textbooks there, please make sure to get the edition indicated.

1. Louis Giannetti, Understanding Movies, 14th Edition. 2. Readings on Canvas

Teaching Methods: This course has three distinct sections—a lecture on Tuesday, followed by a film screening lab, and 50 minute class on Thursday in which we analyze a scene from the week’s screening, or do a writing exercise; then discussion section on Thursday during which time you will do mini presentations/lead discussion in a group. For each section, I allow for a variety of tasks for you to get the most out of this course.

I will assign working groups in Thursday’s discussion class. Readings are due on Tuesday and I will give a lecture based on them. Tuesdays will also require you to view a film in class. On Thursdays, you will work in your group to prepare discussion questions and with your group, lead a class discussion about the film and readings assigned for the week.

EVALUATION: Informed thoughtful class participation 100 points Film Analysis Paper (5-6 pages) 200 points Midterm Exam 200 points Group research presentation 100 points Research Paper (6-7 pages) 200 points Final Exam 200 points

ASSIGNMENTS: 1. Participation: Informed, thoughtful participation in class discussion is critical to the success of the course, and therefore will figure into the final grade. I will keep track of both the quantity and the quality of each student’s contributions; this factor can raise—or lower -- the final grade significantly. NOTE: Regular attendance is essential to participation and is required to pass this course. More than three absences in class will result in a grade of “E” for your participation grade. Also, you will be required to work with the Writing Learning Center as part of your participation grade (see below in next item). 2. Film analysis paper. A short paper analyzing stylistic form based on the close analysis of a film. You are strongly encouraged to visit the Writing Learning Center in Milne Library to work with a writing tutor: https://www.geneseo.edu/english/writing_center 3. Midterm Exam. Based on films, discussions, readings, and lectures. Short answer and multiple choice. 4. Group presentation. The recitation sections will be assigned groups of 2-3 students who will meet outside of class to do research on the film shown that week. Handout with instructions will be given. 5. Your 2nd paper will be a Research Paper in which you will do substantial, independent library research on a film.

2 6. Final Exam. Comprehensive short answer, multiple choice, and essay exam.

CLASS POLICIES: Required Work: To pass this course, students must attempt all assignments. Incompletes will be granted ONLY if the following three conditions are met: documented extenuating circumstances (e.g. severe illness or family crisis); a specific request from the student; AND a plan of action to make up the missing work, including due dates.

Attendance Policy: Any more than three unexcused absences will result in an “E” for the participation portion of your final grade in the course. It is an excused absence if you physically are unable to attend class due to illness or injury. In this case, you must supply a doctor’s note, but ultimately, I will determine what is an excusable/inexcusable absence. If you miss class, do not email me to ask what happened or for notes. If you want to visit office hours to discuss the material, you are welcome. If you miss a lecture, you are welcome to come to my office hours to discuss with me in person. I will not email you notes and I will not be posting lecture notes or PowerPoint slides online. However, I will do a final exam review.

Late Paper Policy: No late papers unless you have specifically arranged with me an alternate due date IN WRITING AT LEAST A FULL WEEK IN ADVANCE OF DUE DATE. I will not accept email submissions of any assignment unless you have been given explicit permission to do so. If you turn in a paper late, penalties begin to accrue at 5 p.m. the paper is due; up to one day (24 hours) late, penalty is 1/3 letter grade (e.g. A becomes an A-); up to two days late, 2/3; three days, 1 full grade; four days, 1 1/3; five days, 1 2/3; six days, 2 full grades; seven days, 2 2/3; more than seven days late, not accepted for credit without excuse certified by the Dean of Students’ office (this includes Counseling center). Weekends count in calculating lateness – if you need to hand in a paper late, either have a secretary in Welles 226 initial, on the paper, the date/time it was finally handed in or send a duplicate copy to me by email (hard copy still should be handed in to my box in the English office in Welles) to get credit for the time you turned it in. Documenting the time a paper was handed in is YOUR responsibility; given a lack of documentation, the penalty will be calculated based on when I receive the paper. Please note that I will not accept verbal explanations of illness or other problem as an excuse for lateness. Without documentation from a doctor or other official documentation that excuses your late work, your work will be penalized for lateness.

Plagiarism Policy: The penalty for academic misconduct and/or plagiarism is an automatic fail (F) for the assignment and notification of the offense being sent to the Dean, which will remain on your record for the rest of your college career.

Course Schedule: Notes: Subject to change as class needs change. Each screening will be handled by an appointed DVD monitor, a position that will rotate weekly.

I. Introduction Tue Aug 29: Introduction to course: the early years of cinema Readings: Understanding Movies, Ch 7 SCREENING: Singin’ in the Rain (Stanley Donen, 1952, 103”) Thu Sep 31: Lecture: What We Can Learn from Movies About Movies. Assign presentation groups.

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II. Mise-en-scène Tue Sep 5: Lecture: Douglas Sirk and American Film Melodrama Readings: Understanding Movies, Ch 2 SCREENING: Imitation of Life (Douglas Sirk, 1959, 125”) Thu Sep 7: ASSIGN FIRST PAPER. Space and MES in Sirk’s films. Student-led discussion.

III. Narrative Film Tue Sept 12: Lecture: Alfred Hitchcock and Classical Hollywood Narrative Readings: Understanding Movies Ch 8 SCREENING: Rear Window (Alfred Hitchcock, 1954, 112”) Thu Sep 14: POV Shots and Feminist Film Theory vis-à-vis Hitchcock. Student-led discussion.

IV. Editing Tue Sep 19: Lecture: Montage READINGS: Understanding Movies, Ch 4 SCREENING: (Sergei Eisenstein, 1924) Thu Sep 21: The Legacy of Potemkin and Eisenstein. Student-led discussion.

V. Film Sound Tue Sep 26: Lecture: Sound and Image READINGS: Understanding Movies, Ch 5 SCREENING: A Man Escaped (Un Condamné à mort s’est echapé) (Robert Bresson, 1957, 99”) Thu Sep 28: Sound and Space in A Man Escaped. Student-led discussion.

VI. Cinematography Tue Oct 3: Post Studio Era Filmmaking READINGS: Understanding Movies, Ch 1 & 3, SCREENING: Mean Streets (Martin Scorsese, 1973, 112”) Thu Oct 5: FIRST PAPER DUE. Violence and the Ratings System in the 1970s and Beyond. Student-led discussion.

VII. FALL BREAK and MIDTERM Tue Oct 9: FALL BREAK Thu Oct 10: MIDTERM EXAM. Writing Clinic.

VIII. Synthesis: Tue Oct 17: The Significance of Citizen Kane Readings: Understanding Movies, Ch 12 SCREENING: Citizen Kane (Orson Welles, 1940, 119”) Thu Oct 19: ASSIGN FINAL PROJECT. Legacy of Orson Welles. Student-led discussion.

IX. Alternative Narratives Tue Oct 24: Lecture: Nonlinear Narratives READINGS: On Canvas: Davis and Burnham, “Screening Truths: and Cinematic Negotiation” in Rashomon Effects: Kurosawa, Rashomon and Their Legacies

4 SCREENING: Rashomon (Akira Kurosawa, 1951, 88”) Thu Oct 26: Japanese Cinema. Student-led discussion

X. Tue Oct 31: Lecture: Nonfiction vs Fiction Form READINGS: Understanding Movies, Ch 11 SCREENING: The Gleaners and I (Agnès Varda, 2002) Thu Nov 2: Library presentation. BRING LAPTOPS.

XI. Genres: Film Noir Tue Nov 7: Lecture: Film Noir READINGS: On Canvas: Schrader, “Notes on Film Noir” in Film Noir Reader, p. 53 and Borde and Chaumeton, “Towards a Definition of Film Noir” in Film Noir Reader, p. 17 SCREENING: In A Lonely Place (Nicolas Ray, 1950, 94”) Thu Nov 9: Student-led discussion

XII. New Waves Tue Nov 14: Lecture: The French New Wave

READINGS: Understanding Movies, Ch 10, On Canvas: Richard Neupert, “The French New Wave: New Stories, Styles, and Auteurs,” Richard Neupert, “Cultural Contexts: Where Did the Wave Begin?” 3–44, Luc Moullet, Raymond Borde, and Georges Sadoul, “A Case Study: Contrasting Views of À bout de soufflé,” 221–37. SCREENING: A bout de souffle (Breathless) (Jean Luc Godard, 1960, 90”) Thu Nov 16: Film Theory After 1960. Student-led discussion

XIII. THANKSGIVING Tue Nov 21: Writing clinic—bring rough drafts of final project. READINGS: TBA No SCREENING Thu Nov 23: THANKSGIVING BREAK

XIV. Avant Garde and Experimental Film Tue Nov 28: Lecture: Avant Garde Cinema READINGS: On Canvas: Michael O'Pray, “Avant-Garde Film: Forms, Themes, and Passions” pp 8-25. SCREENING: assorted short films Thu Nov 30: Exquisite Corpse. Student-led discussion.

XV. Global Cinema Tue Dec 5: Lecture: Hong Kong Cinema READING: On Canvas: Lynda Chapple, “Memory, Nostalgia, and the Feminine: In the Mood for Love and those Qipaos,” in Millennial Cinema: Memory in Global Film Thu Dec 7: FINAL EXAM REVIEW. DUE: FINAL PROJECT THE FINAL EXAM FOR THIS COURSE WILL BE HELD ON Thursday December 15th from 12:00-2:30 in Newton 203.

5 Grading Criteria for Papers—You are strongly encouraged to visit the Writing Learning Center (https://www.geneseo.edu/english/writing_center) at the Milne Library to have a tutor help you revise your drafts.

“A” Papers demonstrate superior, original insight about the text(s) under discussion. The essay's thesis is original, well established, and intelligently presented. The essay's organization (ordering of assertions by paragraph) is outstandingly composed; inferences are drawn logically with superior insight; and no part of the essay is extraneous. The writer demonstrates a breadth of understanding of the topic through careful selection and presentation of evidence to support assertions. The writer chooses words and constructions with care, making statements in support of the argument directly and clearly. The essay contains no errors in sentence structure, spelling, word choice, punctuation, or documentation; the composition is elegant and complex while remaining clear.

“A minus” and “B plus” Papers demonstrate original insight about the text(s) under discussion. The essay's thesis asserts an original argument. The essay's organization (ordering of assertions by paragraph) is thoughtfully composed; inferences are drawn logically and interestingly; and no part of the essay is extraneous. The writer supports assertions with carefully selected evidence. The writer includes a wordy construction no more than two times throughout the essay but the argument is clearly understood. The essay contains no more than two errors in sentence structure, spelling, word choice, punctuation, or documentation; and the composition is sophisticated.

“B” and “B minus” Papers demonstrate an understanding of the text(s) under discussion. The essay has a thesis. The essay's organization (ordering of assertions by paragraph) is clear; inferences are drawn logically; and no part of the essay is extraneous. The writer supports assertions with evidence. The writer includes three or four wordy sentences, but the essay’s argument remains discernable. The essay contains three or four errors in sentence structure, spelling, word choice, punctuation, or documentation.

“C” and “C minus” Papers represent the text(s) under discussion poorly. The essay's thesis is unclear. The essay's organization (ordering of assertions by paragraph) is faulty; inferences are drawn illogically once or twice; or one or two parts of the essay are extraneous. The writer fails to support assertions with evidence once or twice. Five or six sentences in the essay are wordy, pretentious, or overwritten, detracting from the essay's argument. The essay contains five or six errors in sentence structure, spelling, word choice, punctuation, or documentation.

“D”, “D minus”, and “F” Papers fail to address the text(s) under discussion. The essay has no thesis. The essay demonstrates no sense of organization; inferences are drawn illogically three or more times; or three or more parts of the essay are extraneous. The writer fails to support assertions with evidence three or more times. Seven or more sentences in essay are wordy, pretentious, or overwritten, obscuring the essay's argument. The essay contains seven or more errors in sentence structure, spelling, word choice, punctuation, or documentation.

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